Friends Do This
by thelast.thingido
Summary: Regina starts to realize that Emma Swan has no concept of what a healthy friendship entails. All the sex they keep having seems to drive that point home. Set after 4x11.
1. It Still Counts

AN: Just a fluffy/smutty Drunk!Swan Queen fic. Set after 4x11. This won't be a long fic, probably only a few chapters.

* * *

The end of Regina's night had been unexpected. Although there wasn't anything about this day, or this year that was very 'expected'.

After Henry had shown them the library of endless possibilities—the author's house—it felt like the first silver lining in an endless storm, and she had been excited and hopeful. And Regina's mood was good enough to go back with Emma, to drink in celebration rather than sorrow, and Emma was laughing at nothing and paying for shot after shot, and the former mayor couldn't remember when she ate last, probably a light breakfast, because every drink was going straight to her head.

They went from the Diner to the Rabbit Hole, to a cab driving them home, and Emma seemed happy enough with the company, mentioning more than a few times;

_I'm so glad we're friends._

But friendship was not a concrete term for her apparently, because as soon as they stumbled their way into the door of the mansion, Emma very suddenly and confidently started kissing Regina. Not in an chaste way, but a mouth open, body pushing into body, knocking the air out of the older woman's lungs kind of kiss. Regina didn't mind the presumptuous act nearly as much as she should have, because the day was long, and she was drunk. Things were already broken, and at the time she couldn't see any harm in smashing the pieces just a little more, so she wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck and curled her fingers in long hair, reveling in the feeling of her mouth.

They didn't make it to her bedroom, Regina not wanting to risk the stairs and Emma not having enough patience, tossing the brunette effortlessly but gently on the living room couch, practically tearing off her leather jacket after the fact. Something about her eagerness made Regina start laughing lightly, Emma flashed a smile at her for a moment before settling between the queen's legs, immediately working on the buttons of her blouse. It only made her laugh harder.

"What's funny?" The sheriff asked without insult, but some humor in her voice as well, though her lips moved along Regina's neck as her blouse was opened, not really waiting for an answer.

"I thought you wanted to be 'friends'." Was the answer regardless, her voice only slightly slurred.

"Friends do this." She mumbled in the crook of the older woman's neck, kissing and nipping lightly, until her lips were lower on her shoulder, and then she sucked at the skin hard enough to leave a gentle mark. Regina bit her lip and moaned, causing the hips that the brunette's legs were currently wrapped around to buck slightly at the sound.

"This is what you do with your friends?" She asked with a husky tone. "Weren't you friends with Mary Margaret?" Then she was laughing again, an uncontrollable giggling, that caused Emma to roll her eyes and pulled up to look down at her.

"Talk less." She ordered with a smirk, hands moving over the lace and silk bra, and the action caused Regina to arch up into the touch. Both women teasing each other before the wandering hands moved to the belt of her slacks.

"What about the pirate?" She asked more seriously, but the blonde didn't answer, or even react, only went back to move her lips over a silk covered breast, pulling an obviously hard nipple into her mouth, raking her teeth across the cloth, and against the sensitive skin. Regina gripped gold hair in her hand again, bringing her head up, forcing their eyes to meet. "Are you just 'friends' with him too?"

She didn't really want an answer, didn't really want to talk about him, but Regina wasn't going to just be that easy. If Emma wanted her, she would have to work for it. At least a little.

Maybe feel a little pain or guilt, maybe to make up for the fact that Regina wasn't feeling either one, even though she should. Apparently neither was Emma.

"This is the opposite of talking less." Was her smart ass response, surging forward and kissing her deeply, her hips rocking gently into the other woman's, causing the brunette to meet her thrusts, fingers moving to dig into her shoulder, because this was very distracting, and feeling something good after today was very appealing to the former mayor. When their lips parted, both breathing heavy, looking in each other's eyes, both blackened by lust—

"I'm just saying…" Regina continued as if she never stopped, her matter of fact voice causing another, more dramatic, eye roll from Emma.

"Where is it?" She murmured more to herself, as she fiddled with the clasp on the other woman's pants.

"For someone who can see through any lie, you have no respect for the truth."

And with a quick a turn of the blonde's wrist, her hand was moving past layers of clothing and two fingers moved gently through wet folds and against her swollen clit. Regina jerked at the action, gasping and words dying in her throat along with her thoughts.

"Ah, there it is." Emma said, with that damned smug smile. "Your 'off' button."

Regina just glared and pulled her into another crushing kiss.

* * *

They ended up on the floor at some point, because Emma was full of unhinged passion and both full of drunken clumsiness, Regina lying next to the other woman next to the couch, in just underwear and a bra that was undone and half hanging off her shoulders.

The former mayor was more sober now. Two orgasms did that. It made her more clearheaded and alert, but she still felt her eye lids starting to get heavy. Regardless, she was interested in other things besides sleep. She wanted to see the look on the sheriff's face when she came apart at the seams. It was a sight not often granted, and that was reason enough for Regina. She turned over to face the younger woman, who was still clothed fully, all except the button on her skinny jeans being undone.

Regina's eyes met hers, and her hand started to move under the material of her shirt, before Emma's hand gently stopped her.

"That's okay, you don't need to." She said, so understanding, and if Regina was still drunk, she'd laugh again. The blonde said it as if the other woman was this innocent girl that would have no clue how to please another woman. She did chuckle slightly anyway.

"I'm not a pillow princess." She whispered with a smirk, leaning in to kiss Emma, but the younger woman pulled back with an uncomfortable sort of smile.

"Really, I'm good."

Regina's face started to fall with realization.

"You don't want me to touch you." Her hand slowly pulled out from under the sheriff's shirt, and she could see the physical cringe that her words caused.

"It's not about you." She went on to say, as if to explain something that she thought Regina didn't understand. But she did.

"I know what it's about…" The former queen interrupted, turning to lie on her back, staring up at the ceiling. "It's still cheating though…" She went on to say, her voice lowered to an almost whisper. "This still counts."


	2. Good Friends

AN: I love all the awesome feedback I've been getting! Thank you guys so much! :) A little bit of light hearted angst and then some sexy times ahead.

* * *

"It doesn't have to count." Emma said as she sat on Regina's bed, jolting the other woman a bit as she walked out of the bathroom, in a robe and hair still wet from the shower. She wasn't very surprised that the blonde stayed over, because she was in no condition to drive last night, plus she heard Emma rummaging around downstairs once the harsh light of morning came to pound on her frontal lobe, probably making herself completely at home.

Regina took a moment to look at Emma fully dressed, and practically pouting at her, and the former mayor sure hoped that pouting was for the other woman's inability to form normal relationships.

"I know that my romantic past is pretty disastrous," She moved over to her vanity to start brushing out her damp hair, keeping the Sheriff in view out of the corner of her eye. "But you really take the cake, don't you?"

"Doesn't this count for you too?" She asked seriously, a quiet settling between them, and Regina's hand paused mid lift. "Is this cheating on Robin?"

The older woman tossed the brush back on her vanity, and turned towards her with her hands on her hips and a bit of that old red shining in her eyes.

"Technically he's still married, and also exiled from this town never to return again," Regina's voice was sharp, but the bite isn't as strong as it usually was. Be it the alcohol coming out of her system, or the fact that she really didn't have it in her for Emma as of late. "Is that really the parallel you want to make here?"

"You really were in love with him." She stated as if this was news, and maybe to the blonde it was. She was apparently quite good at denial.

"And you obviously never felt that way with the Pirate." A time not too long ago, Regina would have sworn otherwise, but maybe she didn't give the blonde too much credit, not too long ago. She sighed at the younger woman's lack of answer, and those puppy eyes, turning back towards her vanity, attempting to finish combing out the knots in her hair before it dries completely.

"Why did you let me kiss you then?" That and then some, Regina thought with an eye roll that Emma didn't see.

"We were drunk." She explained with a sigh, even though this type of thing didn't need explaining. Besides, the other woman didn't even want this to be a thing that 'counted', so she'd be damned if she made any grand statement about the sun in her hair or stars in her eyes, or whatever romantic vomit that people seem to think they need after one night stands. "And you were distracting." She finished with a tone of finality, then a small smile settled on her lips, finishing her hair finally. "Obviously you've thought about this before."

"Obviously, I'm not the only one." The whisper caused Regina to jump a bit because it was right behind her. Somehow Emma snuck up on her while her back was turned, and now the brunette could practically feel the heat on her back.

"Emma…" She whispered back, with a tone that meant to sound more like a warning than it did, and she felt hands gentle on her waist, turning her around to face her. Once their faces were close, Regina noticed that she still managed to brush her teeth while hungover and probably making a mess of her kitchen, which said a lot to her about the blonde's expectations.

"This is a bad idea." Regina whispered, in a serious tone, but it was true. And she thought to be done with all her 'bad ideas' and 'terrible mistakes' and 'things she can never take back', but here she was, letting Emma kiss her, the Sheriff breaking away just long enough to whisper;

"It's good." And the words weren't that convincing, like a cheap pat on the back and an obligatory 'it's going to be okay'.

But both women fell into the lie for a little while, and they kissed again, starting what they did last night, all over again.

* * *

"This is a bad idea." Emma announced, so serious and stern, and it would have held more weight to it, if she wasn't interrupting every syllable with her lips on Regina's.

"It's good." Regina countered, kissing back every time as she grabbed the wall of the bathroom stall that her back was currently pressed against. Emma moved to push two fingers, which were merely teasing before, inside the former mayor, using quick and shallow thrusts that made her insides catch on fire. "It's so good." The former mayor practically moaned against her mouth.

Emma kissed her again, sloppy and desperate as the blonde's free hand gripped the back of Regina's thigh, lifting the leg to wrap around her waist, opening up the other woman more to her. Her skirt riding up more on her hips, the new position causing her body to tense and arch against the pleasure that Emma was pulling out of her with every thrust.

"We shouldn't be doing this." She finally said when she broke the kiss and looked into deep brown eyes.

"She says, knuckle deep." Regina teased with a smirk, causing the other woman's eyes to darken.

"You started it." The sheriff practically growled, curving her fingers and pushing deeper inside, causing her breath to hitch. She did have a point, and maybe Regina did start it, with a skirt that was almost too short, and just enough perfume where you had to lean in to smell it, which Emma did almost as soon as Regina got close enough when they 'accidently' ran into each other at the Diner. Regina played innocent and sat down next to Emma in her booth while she had her morning coffee. The blonde held out for an admirable length of time, but once the toe of Regina's shoe started lightly tracing the back of Emma's calf, both of them were done for.

Regina's smirk grew at Emma's accusation, her hand curling in blonde hair,

"It's only because you're such a _good_ friend." Then she pulled down gently, leading the sheriff to her knees.


	3. Physically Intimate Buddies

AN: well, this chapter is a little longer. It's kind of the catch 22 though. Shorter chapters with more frequent updates :) Hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

"I think we've ruined our friendship." Emma finally said, breathing heavier from her efforts as she stood up from her kneeling position on the floor. Regina was still enjoying the feeling of light tremors moving through her body, while she sat on the kitchen counter at her mansion. The blonde's hands were on either side of the other woman's hips, gripping the counter and leaning her weight on it, and bringing their bodies close.

"We were never friends." Regina clarified. "Despite what you say, Emma, friends don't do _this_." She emphasized the words with her thumb raising to wipe at the moisture still on the sheriff's bottom lip. Then her thumb found its way in Emma's mouth, as she sucked it gently, erasing all traces of sex–even as the younger woman moaned like the taste of her was orgasmic in itself.

"God, you're so fucking beautiful." The blonde practically growled, once the other woman pulled her hand away, and her eyes were dark and full of all the unresolved tension that these encounters always brought. Regina hummed knowingly.

"My point exactly."

They kissed for a brief moment before Emma pulled away with a sigh, shifting away and leaning on the counter next to her, letting Regina adjust herself and hop down from her perched seat.

"Maybe we're friends with benefits." The older woman rolled her eyes at the cliché and trite phrase, and the negative reaction was noticed. "Okay, then how about 'sexual acquaintances', or 'physically intimate buddies'?"

"How about 'too little, too late'." She suggested, with a bitter tone, turning her back to Emma to open her fridge and grab a bottle of water. She could feel the green eyes burning into her back, but they stayed quiet. Because they didn't talk about this, not really. Regina just sort of decided to take advantage of the situation, some sort of glorified version of masturbation, something to relieve some stress and heartbreak. She could use Emma, because that's apparently all Emma wanted. And she ignored the lingering looks, and the bitterness, and the sobering realization that it they weren't friends because they were something more.

A moment of silence passed between them, and Regina finally looked over at the other woman.

"Make me some food?" Emma asked, and Regina made a face as she was mid drink from her water.

"Absolutely not."

"I just made you come." She countered, as if that was the most articulate and greatest point ever made in an argument.

"And I would return the favor, but not as your maid, Miss Swan." Regina put her water back in the fridge, just so she wouldn't have to look at any childish pouting.

"Friends make friends dinner." Emma tried again, as she stayed leaning on the counter while the former mayor considered her, before she stalked over to her, pinning her between two hands on the counter, and the blonde gasped lightly at the sudden action.

"Let me fuck you."

Emma's eyes actually fluttered at the quiet and pointed words, the dark look crossing Regina's face. And she hated herself a little for even giving into the demand, because demands led to asking, which led to begging, and she would not be under Emma's thumb. After a tense stare down, the sheriff looked away, and Regina hated herself a little more.

"Fine. Starve." She said flippantly, pushing off the counter and smoothing out her blouse, and fixing the nonexistent stray hairs in her perfectly set hair.

"You wouldn't let me starve." The blonde was all smirks then, trying to alleviate some of the tension between them, and Regina only gave her pointed look and a raised eyebrow.

"You're aware of what you're allowed to eat in my home, Emma."

* * *

"I suggest the seafood." Regina said as she looked down at her menu, while purposely ignoring Emma's suspicious looks that's she's been giving ever since the other woman suggested they go have dinner at the little bayside restaurant.

"Why are we here?" She finally asked, a little humor lining her tone.

"We're eating dinner." Her jaw clenched in annoyance, than sighed, looking up the younger woman. "Friends do that."

Emma looked side to side dramatically, before leaning over the table, with a smirk on her face.

"This feels like a date." The sheriff whispered.

"It's not." Regina snapped, glaring at her unwavering amused expression.

"I have a lie detector super power, remember?" Is the only response, leaning back in her seat and entirely too proud of herself, the former queen rolled her eyes at the statement.

"Seeing through any lie, and seeing everyone as a liar are two very different things." She looked back at her menu until she felt green eyes piercing into her from across the table, causing her to glance back up at the other woman.

"Is that what you think I do?" Emma asked quiet and serious.

"See the worst in everyone? Is this news?"

She looked at Regina like it really was news.

"I don't see the worst in you."

Regina looked at Emma like she had a point. Still, she couldn't help but tease her after the sudden weight in the room.

"Is that why you stayed in town, when Henry brought you? Because you thought I was so warm and fuzzy?"

She smiled a sideways smile at the brunette, before the conversation could go any farther, the waiter came up to them with a smile and notepad in his hand, interrupting them gently.

"Are you ready to order?"

* * *

"Are you ready to admit it?" Emma mumbled, and Regina growled, trying to shut her up with her tongue in the other woman's mouth. The right angle wasn't presenting itself though, as she tried to work around the small space they occupied. "We're necking in the back seat of my car. This is definitely a date." It wasn't intended as one, but if it was one, than Regina figured she should play the role. She pulled away from Emma's mouth, breathing heavy and lipstick smeared and shared, licking her lips as she awkwardly pushed the Sheriff against the side window of the squad car, hands moving under the younger woman's shirt so slowly, and it made her face grow very serious very quickly, that constant conflict flickering behind green eyes. She was good at hiding that war, but Regina could always spot it from a mile away.

The former queen leaned into her to hum gently against her ear.

"Does that make you the virgin that keeps deflecting my advances?" She asked, and Emma's breathing caught, then sped up.

"I think we both know what that makes you, then." Still a smirk in the tone, and both of them could tell it wouldn't last long. Her hands moved over her ribs, fingertips tracing the bottom of her bra.

"Pretty little virgin…" Regina whispered, and the blonde moaned, sliding down slightly on the seat, letting Regina settle between her legs. "I'll be gentle." Her hands moved from under her shirt, and slid over the button of her jeans, undoing them with a glance up at Emma, but she gave no protest, only blown out pupils watched the other woman's hands move over her. "I'll go slow," Regina's nails lightly traced the newly exposed skin, running over her lower abdomen, over a small scare settled there, then a quick turn of her wrist brought her hand under the denim. She kept her fingers over the material of Emma's underwear, just pushing into her, teasing her with the feeling, and the blonde's hips were bucking gently into her pulsing shallow thrusts. "It'll feel so good when I stretch you out."

Emma moaned again, louder, more desperate;

"Regina…" Mixed its way into a whimper, and making the other woman move in for a sloppy, light headed kiss. Regina's fingers curled under the cotton material, feeling the wet and ready heat that was all for her. When they broke, Emma whispered in her ear. "I'm not supposed to."

With her two knuckles catching it, she pulled gently at Emma's clit, and it made the blonde groan loudly, her body responding tenfold.

"It's okay." She soothed, shushing her, and kissing along her jaw, but she started to rub tight and firm circles against the swollen nub. Emma was trying to thrust against a non-existence rhythm, rocking and jerking against the brunette. "No one will ever find out." She wasn't sure if they were still playing their game, or if there were dangerous and serious parallels playing out here. Regardless, Regina's voice was kept deceptively soft, and her hand's movements paused to place two fingers just at her entrance, faintly feeling her muscles trying to pull at the tips of her fingers. "I promise, I'll be so good to you, Emma." Another nip at her jaw before she pulls away just enough to watch those green eyes. "Let me be good to you."

The slightest movement of a nod from Emma was all the confirmation Regina needed, pushing her fingers inside the other woman, slowly and deliberate, making sure she felt all of it. Her thumb slid against her wet clit, pushing as deep as her fingers would go, causing a gasp and a moan from the blonde, before she pulled out, then back in.

Maybe Regina had some grander delusions of how this would play out, once it finally did play out, though she didn't focus on it at the moment. Because when their eyes were locked, when their breathing picked up the same rhythm, faces close and the last wall between them crumbling, whether they were in a car or a bedroom made little difference.

Her thrusts picked up speed as Emma gave little encouragements, slight whimpers, and whispered words about how _good_ it felt, to go _faster_, and _right there_. And the blonde's hands wrapped around Regina's shoulders, pulling her closer as her body bowed up from feeling.

Then as her body was shaking, the other woman started whispering back;

"Come for me."

Fingers gripped tighter in her shoulder.

"You know you want to. It feels _so_ good, doesn't it?"

She started praising Regina like a deity after that, and Regina thought it ironic what with how beautiful Emma looked at the moment, so she silenced her with a crushing kiss, as Emma fell apart in the back seat of her car.


	4. Sleepovers and Jealousy

AN: There's some Snow/Regina insinuation in this chapter, but more in a joking way than anything. Hope you guys enjoy, and sorry for huge delay in updating :)

* * *

With a crushing kiss, Emma fell back onto the mattress of Regina's bed. The other woman followed quickly after, straddling one of her thighs.

"Are you going to spend the night tonight?" Regina asked, as she worked on pulling Emma's shirt over her head. The blonde could have giggled from the question, but her movements to get undressed hindered the noise.

"You ask that, like I've never done it before." And of course Emma had a make a 'thing' out of it. Because god forbid she just answer a simple question, without trying to fill it with insinuation.

"I asked that, because I wanted a yes or no answer." She snapped, knowing full well that the younger woman had slept over, but it was only once, the first night that they were both drunk. So, it was perfectly understandable that she wouldn't know if there were plans to stay. Regina sat up, moving to undo the buttons of her blouse a little too slowly for the Sherriff's tastes, so Regina had to smack wandering hands away that attempted to take over her task.

"Maybe." Emma finally said, gaining a fierce eye roll.

"You're a child." The brunette retorted, finally pulling her shirt off of her shoulders and tossing it to their growing pile. Emma sat up quickly, flexing the thigh that was between the other woman's legs, causing a small subconscious noise to escape Regina's throat. Her hands gripped at the former mayor's hips, rocking her body and urging the other woman to do the same, hips rolling against her, watching each other's eyes.

"Do you want me to stay?" She asked, with an almost convincing hesitant tone. Regina was almost pulled into the vulnerability on her face, and the soft and glazed eyes, until she remembered that Emma wasn't an abandoned puppy, not anymore. And the fact that the blonde apparently didn't know that, didn't change the fact that it wasn't true. She was wanted and loved by the entire town. A royal celebrity, with perfect adoring parents, the unconditional love of a brother and child, and her 'bad boy' boyfriend that was just all wide eyed for her. Emma had everything, just as her family always did, Regina thought bitterly, as her face grew stern, glaring at the sheriff.

"Don't play your 'poor Emma' games with me. I'm not your toy to bat around when you're bored." It was very much so the other way around, Regina only wanted something warm to get her through the cold that was always on her peripheral. Always like a shadow over her, whispering its darkness. She got along well enough with Emma, and that was a plus, but there was nothing more to this than that. The possibility of more had long since been destroyed. Still, Regina refused to be manipulated, so in an angry huff, she moved off of the other woman, but she didn't get far because Emma was grabbing her hips again and flipping their positions, the blonde suddenly kneeling between her legs, Regina's back on the bed. The speed of her movements were quick and unexpected, so was the kiss that came right after, harsh and demanding. Regina knew that if she wanted to stop her, she could—because she had a few times before, when her mood didn't meet Emma's, her dark thoughts too full of a self-loathing that an affair just added to. Those moods never did last long though.

And today wasn't one of those times, so she kissed the other woman back with the same velocity, and it lasted until their bodies rocked together in the same rhythm, any hurt or insult Regina may have felt a minute ago seemed like hours away.

When they broke away, Emma quickly moved her lips down, roaming over the woman's collar bone, nipping at the skin and sucking gently at the tops of her breasts, and Regina's breathing turned shallow and breathless.

"I'll stay." The sheriff murmured against her abdomen, hands cupping her breasts for a moment, too distracted by the woman's body to stay in one place too long, the touch skirting and skidding past lace and along skin, teeth gently nipping at her hip bone. "We can have a sleep over." Emma said with a smile, undoing Regina's pants quickly, and as she was pulling them down her legs, the blonde went on to say, "Like friends do."

Regina scoffed in disbelief, and Emma tossed her pants onto the growing pile.

"Really, dear…" The older woman started, but the words were cut short, her throat tightening to make a high moan when Emma's head went back down between her legs. Her mouth open, tongue pressing against the already damp material of her underwear, pressing against her clit as Regina pushed her hips against the blonde. "What—what kind of friends did you have?" Regina finally finished her sentence, more breathless, and less caring of their conversation.

Emma started to pull the thin silk down her legs, and their eyes met, as the blonde grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"You're my favorite so far."

The former queen raised a single eyebrow.

"So far."

Then the words became more simplistic and farther apart between breathy moans and indiscernible praise, once the younger woman's head returned where she seemed to enjoy so much, moving between Regina's legs.

And when the two had exhausted all the energy they could afford, wrapped around each other in sheets and blankets, Regina had a random thought about sleepovers, and hair braiding, gossiping, and staying up late watching movies. Ridiculous and childish things that made her chuckle to herself, and purprosely knock her shoulder against the blonde, who's eye lids looked heavier by the moment.

"You better not snore."

"I don't." She replied simply, but Regina found that Emma really had no respect for the truth, because she was snoring as soon as her eyes closed.

She didn't mind though, not as much as she would presume to if asked.

She didn't mind this, not as much as she probably should have. Regina considered the Sherriff next to her, silently and discretely, a comfortable silence and calm settled between them, and that was rare. Still though, not particularly terrible.

Emma was half laying on the living room couch at the mansion, as Regina sat on the other end, feet tucked under her while she read a book. They both were waiting for Henry to get home from school, which would be any minute, and the sheriff was playing with her phone at an angle that Regina couldn't see. Not that she was looking, besides a few curious side glances, until she got angry at herself for even wondering what was pulling the blonde's attention.

After a quiet sigh, Emma put her phone back in her pocket, and Regina focused back on her book

"Snow was asking about you this morning." She said, surprising the former mayor slightly, not expecting the conversation topic.

"Checking up on me?" There was a skill in how disinterested she sounded, with an arch of her eyebrow.

"Just worried…" Emma mumbled, and then chuckled lightly, drawing brown eyes back on her, more obvious this time. "It's funny, I said the same thing when she asked." A small smile briefly flickered on the savior's face, until it became as distant as her stare.

"And?" Regina prodded, causing Emma to look down at her hands as her fingers fiddled with her shirt, and it brought the other woman's sight to narrow slightly.

"She's always so defensive when it comes to you."

"There's a lot of history between us." Regina stated seriously, and there was something about Emma's reaction that made her not like the woman's answer, so the former queen just shrugged and looked back at her book. "When she's not defensive, she's blaming me for everything."

"You guys kind of take turns doing that." The distant tone was still in the blonde's voice, and really, she only wanted to finish this chapter, so with a frustrated sigh, she looked over to her again.

"What's on your mind?" There was a bit of a snap in her tone, but Emma seemed unoffended, though their eyes did meet, and a serious weight settled between them.

"Did you two ever…" The strength in the blonde's words didn't last long, and it could have been because of the growing anger and shock on Regina's face that caused green eyes to cast downwards. "I mean, with the way Snow acts sometimes, I wonder—…"

"Are you asking if I had a sexual relationship with my step daughter?" Regina didn't know if she should laugh, or slap Emma across the face. Apparently the other woman was expecting one more than the other, what with the cringe from her sharp voice. "Don't be disgusting." She continued after a moment, with a sneer and shudder at the thought.

And then Emma was flat out pouting, her cheeks red, and the former mayor knew she was embarrassed, but she never once cared before, so she wasn't going to start now.

"You suggested that I did, and she's my mom." The sheriff mumbled like a child, and there was something else in her voice, and a bit of a shadow across her face. If Regina didn't know any better, she would've sworn it was a little jealousy. Dismissing it though, she rolled her eyes and looked back at her book.

"I don't recall ever saying any such thing." A small smirk inched its way across the brunette's face. "I must've been drunk."

A small smirk inched its way across the blonde's face, as she pressed _send_ on her phone, and looked across the table towards Regina. Regina was glaring back at her, as Snow droned on about whatever she was droning on about during the city hall meeting,. Regina really wasn't listening, and most of that was Emma's fault, as the former mayor felt the phone in her hand buzz once more. She glanced down inconspicuously.

_I fucked myself last night, thinking about you_

Regina bit the inside of her cheeks to keep herself from reacting to the second message that had the same general theme to it. The first one wasn't responded to, but Emma was insistent, if not stubborn. Maybe even dense.

Finally, her thumb quickly brushed across her phone to send a reply.

_Stop it_

Emma rolled her eyes and replied back;

_You suck at sexting_

_We're in a city hall meeting_

Regina clarified, although she knew it wasn't necessary. Besides, 'sexting' wasn't an area of expertise for the former queen. If they were actually speaking to each other, then she could have whispered a few words to have Emma climbing off the walls. And she wasn't opposed to the idea in itself, but a time and place for all things.

_I'm bored_

The brunette glared again at Emma's childishness. It wasn't nearly as endearing as she thought it was.

_I don't care_

And her thumb was on the send button when she heard Snow's authoritative tone direct itself sharply towards her daughter.

"Emma, what is so important that you're checking your phone while the citizens of a town you're sworn to protect are voicing their concerns?"

Silence fell in the large space of this room like a quick and sudden weight, and every eye was now on Emma's wide greens.

A few sputtering 'um's' and 'uh's' had Regina thoroughly entertained and barely able to hide the smirk.

"Yes, please enlighten us. This is entirely unprofessional, and is only delaying a Mayor that has a town to run." The former mayor spoke, with a patronizing level to her authoritative tone, and Regina almost felt bad about encouraging Snow, because of the way the princess just _beamed_ at her, and in the most _annoying_ sort of way, all for the sake of the title of 'mayor'. She almost couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes. So she distracted her sight back at the blonde, and oh how green her eyes looked. Jealousy. It was bold and sure this time, dark and piercing, and quite beautiful. She knew that was what it was, because Emma wasn't looking at the former queen with all that insecure anger. She was looking at her mother.

It was close to an hour later, the city hall meeting finally over, and citizens and local government alike had broken off in smaller groups, chatting idly about building permits or the new episode of whatever show was holding their interests these days. Regina had no patience for it today, as she gathered her purse and put her coat on, only pausing to see Snow along the far wall talking to Emma, and Emma looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. A smile flashed across her face at the sight. She made her way over, catching the tail end of Snow's whispered scolding.

"…I just think you could try to focus more during the meetings."

Emma gave a mumbled apology before her eyes caught on the other woman's approaching form, and instantly her face stoned itself suspiciously.

"I have to agree with your mother." She announced, with a slight humor in her voice that only the sheriff could pick up on. Snow on the other hand, jumped slightly at the sound of the older woman's sudden voice behind her—though she had a habit to do that most of the time, and Regina couldn't really blame her, but once the princess turned towards her she was all bright eyed and red cheeked.

"Really, Snow is trying her hardest," The former mayor gave a mock scolding, which was _almost_ toned in a way that was too sarcastic to believe. "And doing a fine job, with the little help she gets as mayor."

"Thank you, Regina." Snow spoke, as if just given sainthood by the Pope. It did make a twinge of guilt settle in Regina's chest, feeding into her step-daughter's need for attention from her. It bordered on cruel, but the look of fire and brimstone coming from Emma was an enticing plus side. Perhaps Regina would always border on cruel at times.

"Okay, I get it." The blonde spoke through a clenched jaw, and a predatory and slightly cruel smile flashed on her face before looking back at Snow.

"I know how stressful it can be, dear." She spoke softly, before gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "How tense it makes you." Regina knew immediately that she pushed a bit too far, with the honey sweet sound of her voice, because suddenly the former bandit's eyes were narrowing, and suspicion started to overtake her abandonment issues. Sometimes she forgot how well the girl knew her at times.

Luckily Emma's irrational jealousy saved the ploy from dissolving completely.

"We're leaving." The sheriff announced, quite harshly, but when she gripped the older woman's arm, it was a gentle urging.

"What? Why?" Snow chimed in, utterly confused and still suspicious, as Emma led Regina away, and there was no answer given to her mother, which was probably for the best. Emma was good at lying, but not while she was angry.

As they walked briskly out of city hall, Regina smirked at her.

"Jealousy is your weakness, then?"

Emma glared at her.

"Not jealousy..." She mumbled absently, and Regina's smirk grew.


End file.
